# Still support nuke power plants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647 "2011-03-14T11:56:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 58
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1141 "2011-03-28T22:38:05Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > Here’s the actual readings: > > [http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11\_e/images/110328e14.pdf](http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/110328e14.pdf) > > The levels of plutonium detected were only slightly higher than what is found in ordinary soil. This was actually a surprise to me - turns out that soil all around the world has detectable levels of plutonium in it already, probably from all those above-ground nuclear test explosions last century, yet we haven’t all dropped dead. considering it was carried aloft by rising hot air that’s not surprising. The concern is the dispersion pattern which is a little harder to deal with. Also, radioactive water had moved down into the underground pipes beneath the plants. Prudence would dictate a comfortable distance away from the area until things have settled down. ---
**Author:** ![Apollo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@Apollo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1142 "2011-03-29T01:21:48Z")
[Latest helicopter footage of Fukushima, zoom-in on ruined reactors](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_T0M5nz_tg) This farce is turning into a clusterfuck of epic proportion. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1143 "2011-03-29T01:27:50Z")
Just remember, nobody died. Especially not the six dead soldiers buried somewhere there. Or the other two workers who are ‘missing’. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1144 "2011-03-29T01:52:10Z")
Enough doom and gloom. How about some good news for a change? Yes? [Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan’s Trial by Fire](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/battleproof-wind-farms-su_b_837172.html) Woo! > [@](#): > > Despite assertions by its detractors that wind energy would not survive an earthquake or tsunami the Japanese wind industry is still functioning and helping to keep the lights on during the Fuksuhima crisis. Okay, there’s always some bad news. Tepco owns most of it! ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1145 "2011-03-29T01:52:39Z")
Let’s pretend for a moment that your ominous hints at a coverup of dead has some basis in reality, instead of being a mere fear driven fantasy. So…that’s 6 soldiers plus 2 missing workers for a grand total of 8 supposed dead. Now…let’s multiply that by 10, since these are evil nuclear power company executives, and they have probably covered up a lot of missing by saying they were sent out for sushi or something. So, that would be 80. Now, to get up to the known dead from the OTHER (minor, to be sure) aspects of this disaster you would only need to have approximately 9920 more people die. I’m sure that the evil nuclear executive types are boundless in their evil schemes, but I’m finding it a bit hard to believe that even they could cover up that many additional deaths. In the Pit version of this thread, which I’ve pretty much given up on at this point, gonzomax made a claim that the area around the nuclear plant (by which he implies the entire evacuation zone…30 km semi-circle with the plant at it’s center) will become a nuclear wasteland akin to Chernobyl, but of course with a much larger population (this leaves aside the rather large city that was in the vicinity of Chernobyl of course, but this IS gonzo we are talking about). You seemed to agree with him that this will be the case. So, my question to you FXM is…would you like to place any large wagers that this will come to pass? How about we wager that within 3 months a significant number of people who still have houses to go back to in the area are allowed back in? That seems to be a stone cold win for you, if you actually believe your own line. So…want to bet? We could say the stakes are, if you win I will never participate in another nuclear themed thread again, after acknowledging that you (and gonzo) were right and I was wrong. If I win you will refrain from posting on this board again…no need for an acknowledgment of you being wrong is required. Of course, I’m doubtful if you’ll make the whole 3 months without getting banned, but then Le Jac and gonzo both have so maybe you will too. So…waht do you say? Want to bet? -XT ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1146 "2011-03-29T01:55:57Z")
Wait, what? I live in Japan and have been watching the news pretty much nonstop. I poked around this thread but can’t seem to find the link/cite to this bit about dead people. We’ve had no news whatsoever on any casualties from the nuclear plant aside from the 3 workers w/ the boots. Can someone fight my ignorance please? Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1147 "2011-03-29T02:00:20Z")
[http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896\_2.shtml](http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896_2.shtml) Interviews with workers. Third page. > [@](#): > > As the situation deteriorated, the first explosion, at reactor 3 on March 14, happened at the precise moment that six soldiers from the Japanese Central Nuclear Biological Chemical Weapon Defence Unit arrived at the reactor in two vehicles. The six of them are now dead, buried under flying concrete. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1148 "2011-03-29T02:03:22Z")
It seems like if there were truly a cover-up, they wouldn’t be putting out mistaken radiation readings like 10 million times over the limit. They thought that real and announced it, which seems contardictory to the practice of a cover-up. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1149 "2011-03-29T02:04:35Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > [http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896\_2.shtml](http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896_2.shtml) > > Interviews with workers. Third page. Do you consider it honest to blame nuclear power for a someone that is buried under rock? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1150 "2011-03-29T02:05:43Z")
> [@KinkiNipponTourist](#): > > Wait, what? > > I live in Japan and have been watching the news pretty much nonstop. I poked around this thread but can’t seem to find the link/cite to this bit about dead people. We’ve had no news whatsoever on any casualties from the nuclear plant aside from the 3 workers w/ the boots. > > Can someone fight my ignorance please? Thank you! It’s from [this article making its way around](http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/fukushima-fifty-in-their-own-words-20110327-1cbmd.html?from=smh_ft). It’s the exact same article each time. Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1151 "2011-03-29T02:23:30Z")
I can’t see the part about the 6 dead soldiers…is it in that article as well? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1152 "2011-03-29T02:27:49Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > [http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896\_2.shtml](http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896_2.shtml) > > Interviews with workers. Third page. they died in an industrial explosion. Do you really want to go down that road? The Bhopal explosion, The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, various coal mine disasters. Good Lord, we’ll be here for weeks listing them all. Note to engineers, vent hydrogen outdoors. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1153 "2011-03-29T02:29:46Z")
> [@FXMastermind](#): > > [http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896\_2.shtml](http://english.cntv.cn/20110328/102896_2.shtml) The quote in that post IS all there is about the supposed dead soldiers. Supposedly killed by the explosion that destroyed building three. ---
**Author:** ![FXMastermind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fxmastermind/32/7289_2.png) [@FXMastermind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FXMastermind)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1154 "2011-03-29T02:31:35Z")
If only they had been outside the gate when the nuclear power plant blew up, then technically the plant wouldn’t have been responsible. It would have been that 100 ton piece of the plant roof falling on them. And it wasn’t a nuclear explosion, so nuclear power is still safe. And that is the important thing in all this. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1155 "2011-03-29T02:42:54Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > In the Pit version of this thread, which I’ve pretty much given up on at this point… I gave up as soon as the madness was oft-quoted that engineers were “evil” - excuse me, a “necessary evil.” ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1156 "2011-03-29T02:45:55Z")
You mean engineers aren’t evil?? ☹ I wasted 8 years of college…for nothing??? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1157 "2011-03-29T02:47:14Z")
> [@Prohaira](#): > > Coal Ash Is More Radioactive than Nuclear Waste > [Coal Ash Is More Radioactive Than Nuclear Waste | Scientific American](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste) Sigh. That’s a deceptively titled article unworthy of Scientific American, which I’ve debunked both on and off this message board. I even sent a letter to the editors of Scientific American under my IRL name and professional credentials, with something like 30 citations for the letter and a two PhD co-authors, and received a bullshit response that essentially said “our journalism major knows more about coal than all you stupid engineers.” It’s a shame because they **do** have a valid point about **the net, sum total radiation released** , but they deliberately (I can only assume deliberately, since their error was pointed out to them) chose to scare-monger. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1158 "2011-03-29T02:49:03Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > You mean engineers aren’t evil?? ☹ I wasted 8 years of college…for nothing??? > > -XT Why am I hearing Blutarsky saying that? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1159 "2011-03-29T02:50:51Z")
Thanks for the links. As levdrakon points out, it’s the exact same article, and I can’t find any of the information anywhere else–no other English OR Japanese sources, even the rumor-mongering sites. That said, the existence of a “Fukushima 50” is unsubstantiated but believed by many here. One version of the story has these brave souls–and many other overly irradiated workers–locked up in the plant, so heavily radiated that they can never leave, doing all the dirty work. The plant uh, just uses them until they die of radiation poisoning. Ayuh. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647/1160 "2011-03-29T02:52:17Z")
Maybe because I look like a slightly plumper Hispanic version of good ole Bluto… 😛 (We didn’t give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, and we aren’t going to give up now either…there is ignorance to be fought. Who’s WITH ME??) -XT [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647.md?page=57) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-support-nuke-power-plants/574647.md?page=59)